On the Line with Jeff Gaspin - Part 1

NBC's been covered heavily of late on the entertainment business beat, as reporters and industry insiders evaluate and speculate on everything from The Jay Leno Show to the potential sale of NBCU to Comcast.  In an email interview with Jeff Gaspin, the Chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment, talks about his rise to the top, Leno, the evolution of broadcast television, and more...

On the Line with Jeff Gaspin, Part 1

The Line:  In what ways did your formal education and subsequent employment prepare you for your current position at NBC?

Jeff Gaspin:  I know it sounds cliché, but getting my MBA from NYU was a great way to prepare mentally for the path I have taken professionally.  And now having worked in a variety of roles in television—ranging from finance to development,  I now have a great deal of hands-on-experience that allows me to make educated decisions in my current role.  The entertainment industry, television in particular, is going through such a tremendous amount of change right now that having worked in such diverse roles can only help me when I have to make decisions in this capacity.

TL:  Did you chart a clear path for yourself from the start?  How much of  your success would you attribute to “luck” or “right place at the right time?”  

JG:  Growing up there was a lot of pressure to be a doctor or a lawyer. I knew that wasn’t for me. I was drawn to entertainment and my first job out of school was in the finance department at NBC.  Landing that job and getting to see how the network and the industry worked from a financial standpoint, was a great starting point. And I have been fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time on several other occasions. I joined VH1 in 1996 and that network was in need of a new programming and brand strategy, which we implemented and created franchises like “Behind the Music” and “Pop-up Video.” Six years later, I rejoined NBC and was put in charge of the newly acquired cable network Bravo. Again the network was in need of a new direction with its programming and brand, and we were able create hits such as “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and “Project Runway,” which led to increased ratings and revenue.  

TL:  10 years from now, what would you like to be able to look back and say you accomplished in your current role at NBC.

JG:   Nothing would make me happier than to see NBC get back to being the top network on the air, home of quality programming that viewers talk about for generations to come a la “Seinfeld” or “ER.” And to see our full portfolio of cable networks ,USA, Bravo Syfy and others, continue to flourish.